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Kate Spade's Death
- Kate Spade
- Fashion Designer
- December 24, 1962
- June 5, 2018
- Suicide
The life and death of Kate Spade:
She was the founder and co-owner of a New York City-based fashion house, but tragically died at a relatively young age by hanging herself.
She was born Katherine Noel Brosnahan in Kansas City, Missouri. Her father owned a road construction company and her mother was the former June Mullen. A descendent of Irish immigrants she attended an all-girls Catholic school - Saint Theresa’s Academy - and later went to the University of Kansas. But she transferred to Arizona State University and graduated there with a journalism degree in 1985.
Kate’s original plan was to become a television producer. But while working in the accessories department at Mademoiselle magazine in 1986 she started living with Andy Spade, a native of Scottsdale Arizona. They had worked together the men’s clothing store with Kate was living in Phoenix and in 1994, the couple married.
They had a daughter Frances in 2005. Andy’s brother is the noted comic and actor David Spade.
The marriage of Kate and Andy was a magical union business-wise because in January 1993, Kate and Andy Spade started Kate Spade Handbags.
Kate later recalled that she wanted to make a functional bag that had some sophistication and style and she made six prototypes using Scotch tape and paper until she found the manufacturer in Brooklyn willing to start manufacturing the actual bags.
The bags quickly caught on and became a fashion statement in New York City in the 1990s.
The product line quickly expanded and by 1999 she sold a 56% stake to Neiman Marcus group and by 2006, sold the rest of her shares.
But she wasn’t finished with the fashion industry and launched a new brand, Frances Valentine, in 2016. It focused on luxury footwear and handbags and she borrowed the name for the company from Frances from her paternal side and Valentine from her mother’s side of the family.
Kate also gave her fans a look at her home, in a piece she did with People magazine.
But in late spring 2018 tragedy struck with the housekeeper found Kate dead it her Manhattan apartment. She had committed suicide by hanging herself. Police said there was a note addressed to her daughter. A day later Andy released a statement talking about her depression and anxiety.
To add to the tragedy her father, Earl, died less than three weeks later at the age of 89. The family said he was heartbroken over Kate’s death and he died just hours before Kate’s funeral in Kansas City.
During the services at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Redemption Church in Kansas City, mourners sang “The First Noel”, because of Kate’s middle name.
She was cremated and a large white urn carrying her ashes was carried into the church.
